SLENDER: THE ARRIVAL The Final Escape
by seclinalunica
Summary: One year after the unspeakable tragedy at the foot of the radio tower, Kate the proxy is left with nothing but her guilt. When insanity temporarily leaves her mind, she fixes a quick plan of escape and is freed from the clutches of Slenderman. It is then that she crosses paths with the improbable, and learns that her guilt has now become the impossible. KATE & CR SEQUEL
1. Prologue: Guilt can fit in your pocket

**AN: I'M BAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCKKKKKKK! Hello Readers. Man it feels good to be back, and in the arms of this awesome fandom. If you are not sure what the hell I am talking about, I did a fanfic a few years ago heavily based on the Slender: The Arrival game using the same story line, but with the two interesting, but vague characters of the story (At the time) Kate and CR. I promised my readers while doing the fanfic that I would do another story using Kate and CR, so after a few years, I finally decided to fulfill that promise (Please don't kill me). Now a couple of things before you start reading this:**

 **I have been neglectful of the fandom during those few years, and decided to do a little bit of research. Things couldn't be that different, could they? Man, I have never been so wrong in my life. CR actually has a name now! When the game was new, CR didn't have a freakin' name or backstory, so I had to make one up. Now he does, so because of that, I'm keeping CR's backstory, but I will no longer be using the real name I gave him; just his initials...CR.**

 **Also pertaining to those two characters. I'm keeping CR around the age of 30 whatever, and Kate will be about seventeen. I'm staying true to what I did in the previous fic.**

 **Now THIS IS A SEQUEL. If you haven't read the previous fic, you can either search through every single fic in the fandom in order to find SLENDER: THE ARRIVAL Who is CR? Or you could take a journey through my profile, and find the story that way.**

 **Anyways, I'm excited to be back, and sharing a story with you all.**

 **I DO NOT OWN SLENDERMAN!**

 **And also as usual, please review! Favourite and even follow. And also, thank you readers for sticking with me, when at the time, I couldn't figure out what the difference between a shot gun and a hand gun was.**

 **SO! Without further ado, here's the prologue!**

* * *

Prologue: Guilt can fit in your pocket

Kate wandered through the dense forests, as if weights were attached to her legs. They felt so heavy, and every bone and muscle in her body ached till no end. She was crying while drenched in another man's blood. She killed a stranger of whom was only lost within the bowels of the forests. He didn't ask for this. To Kate, 'this' was just another day. Just another meal. How Pitiful. Kate thought she were emotionally stronger than this. I guess she never was, and never will.

All she ever wanted was to escape. She wanted to escape this chained life, within the clutches of this wretched monster. She wanted to be in the city. She stared at her blood soaked hands. One year prior, Kate had become a pawn for Slender; a proxy. However, she only did his bidding out of fear. Her gut told her not to follow him; it constantly told her to run away, but her body mysteriously yearned for the entity. Kate touched her ugly face. Her entire body was now grey with a slight hue of blue. And her eyes were sunken.

"Look at me," Kate started, "I'm a monster."

Kate wished her late friend were still alive. If the tree hadn't stopped their venture, and killed their vehicle in the process, maybe he would still be here; living a vivid and fulfilling life. Both companions could have lived anew. If everything had gone according to plan, maybe both parties would have gone their separate ways; instead of dead. During that terrifying week of friendship, adventure and isolation, Kate got to know that strange man rather well by putting his pieces of the human puzzle together; and in knowing him, she started to uncover thoughts and untouched emotions, that she thought were impossible to experience. Like losing a close friend. Kate was ugly now; on the inside and the outside. And it was all her fault. After all, she refused to stand by his side and jump to her death. She 'chickened out', and instead, flew into the arms of Slenderman. As if betraying him once wasn't enough, she betrayed him again by killing him. After all of that planning, and all that he did for her, she let him die alone.

Kate desperately wanted to see him again. She wanted to go back in time at that exact moment, and jump. Although they wouldn't have survived the fall, they would have escaped from Slenderman, in their own way. If only she could go back in time.

And then it was Lauren's turn. Lauren was only worried about her lost soul, only searching for Kate. And just like him, Lauren had fallen from the radio tower; but died upon impact. Kate threw her off. It was Slenderman's bidding, and she had no choice, but to comply.

Kate stopped in her tracks, and heaved while bent over in a sickening manner. After, she violently slammed her body against a nearby elm tree, and slid down into the tall, wet grass. She wailed louder than before; her voice carrying throughout the night sky, and disturbing the many birds in the surrounding area.

"What have I done?" She gawked at her red hands again. "I want to be free. I want," she hiccuped, "I want to get out of here."

Suddenly, a chilling voice rang through her head. _"Kate...you dare not leave my side."_

"No!" Kate screamed. She grabbed her damaged hair, and ferociously shook her head; attempting to rid of Slender's voice.

 _"Kate, you're mine."_ He paused momentarily. He growled deep within his throat, _"Oh, I know what you're thinking...that you should run."_ He mocked, _"I should run far, far away from here, maybe even see how far I'd get. Well Kate, you're free to run. You are able to run, but who's going to want you?_ _You're not the pretty little white girl as you once were in the past._ _You're now a disgusting creature. You can try to run, but I'll find you, and be sure to eat you afterwards."_

Kate placed a hand against her forehead. "All I want is for him to be at my side. Why did you kill him? You could have spared his life."

Slender replied, _"As I recall, I did not kill him. You did. And you shot him in the head in order to end his life. Maybe he shouldn't have given you a gun whilst you two were hunting for generators in the mines. You both went insane. However, he's dead meat now, and it has been a year...forget about him."_

Kate scowled. She yelled, "I can't!"

Guilt took a hold of her, and it was able to fit into her pant pocket. It was a recording device. The radio tower recorded their last conversation that day, and Kate made the hasty decision to retrieve that information, and take it with her as she did unspeakable acts. It was the biggest mistake of her life, and she played it over and over again every single day.

Her hands shook as she pressed play:

They were on top of the radio tower.

 _Kate!"_ His voice said. _"Kate, don't look at him!"_

Kate yelled, _"We're trapped CR!"_

 _"Kate, don't look at him, please."_

 _"W…wha….what are we going to do?"_ She questioned.

His voice was rather calm and collected. _"Kate, listen to me! Listen!"_

 _"I'm listening."_

 _"Like you said, we are trapped. We can't do squat!"_

Kate remembered the look on his face, and the fear within his beautiful eyes. Kate said, _"And you are suggesting?"_

 _"Kate, let's face it. We are going to die!"_

His words cut through her soul like daggers. He was wrong. It was he alone that were going to die.

His voice continued to talk. _"But what would you rather do? Die by the hands of this monster? Come on! Do you want to die at the feet of this creature? Or in this situation, do you want to choose your fate?"_

 _"What would you do?"_

 _"I'm jumping."_

Kate's heart sank. Why was this part always so painful.

He said, _"If we are both going to die, WE DIE TOGETHER!"_ There was a pregnant pause. _"Kate."_

 _"I…I…I...CR...w…w…what's going on?"_

 _"Kate, please."_

 _"I…I…I…can't."_

He sounded as if he were going to cry. _"Kate." –_

 _"I…I…I can't."_

He pushed. _"Kate, there is no other way!" –_

And that was when she betrayed him. _"I CAN'T!"_

She remembered the tears streaming down his face like a waterfall. His lips quivered. _"Oh god Kate...I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry! I'm so sorry!"_

It was at that moment, that he knew he was going to die.

Kate stopped the recording once she heard the sound of feet. She looked up, and it was Slenderman himself.

Kate snapped, "Finally decided to talk to me in person, eh?!"

Slender's tone of voice gave Kate the impression of disapproval. _"Leave him be. Throwing a pity party for yourself won't bring him back to life."_

Kate hugged her knees. She nodded. "I know."

Slender said, _"There's something strange going on in the forests right now, and I don't like it. We must move, and we must observe. If it's only a child, then maybe I can feast on it."_

A shiver ran down Kate's spine.

Slender shifted his body to the side. _"The commotion is up north. Kate, you and I will survey the area. Whatever we find-unless I deem it useful-kill it. This is my forest, and I don't want it tainted with unwanted scum. It's usually human scum too."_

Kate grumbled, "You know that I'm human too."

Slender snickered, _"You used to be. Now look at you. You're garbage...human waste even."_

Kate took the blow, and exhaled. Resisting the urge to run, Kate rose to her feet, and followed Slender into the darkness of the forests; on the hunt to kill whatever was lurking about.

 _Chapter 1 is next..._

 ** _please review!_**


	2. Chapter one: Maybe Next Time, I'll Jump

**AN: Hey, everyone! I know it's been so long, and I wanted to get this chapter out sooner, but so much had gotten in the way. This chapter was supposed to come out a few days ago, but unfortunately, I was in a car accident, and was unable to do so, but I'm feeling better, so hopefully, I can please all of you with this new chapter!**

 **As you all know, I'm more of a thriller/horror writer, so in this chapter, there's going to be bloody scenes, along with mention of rape.**

 **Don't like it, don't read it.**

 **Anyways, I worked hard on this chapter, so let's see if we can get to 10 REVIEWS before the next one comes out...hopefully before 3 weeks, lol.**

 **Anyways, please read, review and enjoy!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Slenderman. Belongs to Blue Isle Studios and Parsec Productions.**

* * *

Chapter 1: Maybe This Time, I'll Jump

Kate, the proxy, sat within the bushes of the south, while Slenderman hid between the varied trees of the North. The master and his slave went their separate ways, and lurked throughout the vast forests, in search for their prey. Earlier that night, Slenderman had mentioned that something strange was amidst the air, and that whatever that 'something' was, it was their goal to end its life; but it wasn't long before Kate found exactly what they were hunting for; that certain strangeness; and that strangeness was nothing more than a sweet seventeen year old girl.

Kate gawked at her prey; she was clearly lost, she was sweating at the forehead, and Kate could see watered beads building from the corners of her eyes. This young woman was beautiful, and it was unfortunate that such a beautiful soul was going to be an entity's dinner; and there was nothing that Kate could really do about it. Her job was to kill, and she would do it out of fear, not of lust. Kate squeezed the knife in her hand so tight, that her knuckles started to turn white.

Suddenly, the girl heard a noise; a rustle perhaps. It quickly caught her attention, and she peered over her shoulder, spotting nothing but thin air. Kate paused. She wondered if that noise were her master; but after listening closely for several seconds, she determined that it was not; for she could hear more than one voice travelling in her direction.

The young woman cupped her hands over her mouth and yelled in a rather innocent fashion, "Hello?! Who's there?! Emily?! Emily?! If you're trying to scare me, it's not funny!"

The many voices grew louder, and louder, causing the young woman to shake. She was terrified. Suddenly, silhouettes appeared from the deep shadows of the trees, and those silhouettes were people; three men, and one woman to be exact. They inched closer to her slim body, and almost all of them were hiding something behind their backs.

The young woman instantly recognized the four individuals. She said in a whimper, "Jason? Mark?...Kevin?" She lay her eyes upon the other woman. "Emily? What're you?-I thought I lost you! Where did you go?" The girl had so many questions, yet she was getting little to no answers.

Kate carefully watched the scene unfold. The four individuals said nothing, as they cornered the young woman, pinning her against an old oak tree. The girl cried, "What're you guys doing? Why aren't you answering me?! Mark, Jason, Kevin...Emily?" There was a pregnant pause. She said, "Why have you betrayed me?

"NOW!" Screamed the one named Jason.

It was then that every person involved in this wretched activity, revealed the items hidden behind their backs. There was a hatchet, a rock, and a knife.

Without warning, Jason swung his hatchet, and impaled the girl's bosom with brute force.

The girl gave a blood curdling scream, "AHHHHHH!"

Warm blood oozed from the girl's wound. It took great effort for Jason to pull the weapon out of her chest, before he struck again; this time, the trauma was placed into her back.

Another male-called Mark-possessed a knife. He flew towards the young woman, and charged his weapon into her gut; causing all of the air to escape her lungs. It was at that point, where she could no longer speak, she could no longer scream and beg for her life.

Jason plunged the hatchet into the girl's back again, forcing her small body into the cold, hard ground. Given the chance, Mark jumped on top of her, and began to stab her in the side repeatedly.

Kate thought, _"At this point, the girl is most likely dead."_

Finally, Kevin-the one with the rock-finished the job by momentarily raising his choice of weapon into the air, and forcefully smashing it into the girl's face. Blood burst in all sorts of directions. Not long after the deed was done, the individual called Mark said, "Kevin, Jason, and Emily! Drop your weapons, and go without me! I'll bury the evidence!" The three individuals did as they were told, and so Mark quickly got to work. He buried a hole, and placed every used weapon inside. He sloppily covered the items with mud and dirt.

Kate whispered, "What an idiot. The police will find those weapons without a hitch."-

Kate's eyes widened when she watched Mark do the unthinkable. She couldn't believe what she was witnessing; the man was raping a dead body! Kate wanted to look away, but something in her mind told her otherwise. It was then, that something inside of Kate snapped. She realized that she bore both empathy and sympathy for the young woman. What was happening to Kate? Did she have...feelings?

With true anger, Kate tightened her grasp around the knife, and quickly appeared from the bushes. She scurried towards the young man as he finished his disgusting business. Upon hearing Kate's tiny footsteps, Mark peered over his shoulder to see what was behind him, but it was too late. Kate lunged at the man with great speed, and plunged the blade into his abdomen. He stared past her shoulder in complete and utter shock. Tiny droplets of blood spurt from his mouth, before his body finally went limp. He fell to his side, and stared into the abyss. He was dead.

Kate had killed another one, but this time, it was different. She had to do it; her mind and her heart wanted her to do it. She avenged the young woman, for she did not deserve to die. Kate gawked at the two dead bodies strewn upon the grassy wasteland. It was then that Kate realized that none of whom she killed deserved to die.

Kate sniffled. She could feel the girl's spirit fade into the night, begging for help and constantly asking why she was murdered; but Kate could not give her a satisfying answer. Hot tears strode down Kate's cheeks. She was crying? Kate wiped the tears from her face. She then placed the knife back into her pant pocket before leaving the bloody scene.

Kate wept. She whispered, "I have to get out of here." She repeated, "I have to get out of here." She hiccupped. "I don't care how ugly I am...I just have to get away."

* * *

Kate slowly sauntered down the non-existent trails of the forests for approximately half an hour, before discovering Slenderman, feasting upon something. She observed three dead bodies at his feet, and they were being ripped apart by his vicious tentacles. Slenderman was fishing through their insides, only searching for the 'good parts.' Kate sighed, and examined the bodies. She quickly identified them as Jason, Kevin and Emily; the other three children involved in that young woman's murder. They didn't get very far, did they?

Slenderman was occupied, so Kate decided to venture through the darkness on her own. She stuffed her hands into the pockets of her white sweater, and kicked rocks as she walked, only thinking about how she was going to escape the clutches of her master. As a runner, Kate was far too slow to rely on her speed alone, and Slenderman's knowledge of the forest was superior to hers. And she wasn't very good at this sort of thing; planning, that is. She needed CR; she needed his guidance. He was good at this stuff.

Then Kate came to a raging river. Its current was strong, unnatural, and fast too. Kate couldn't help, but wonder where it lead to. Kate firmly stood near the edge of a cliff, and gawked at the beautiful sky. Dawn was upon them.

Kate shifted her eyes to the left, and observed a familiar structure that frequently haunted her; the radio tower; she looked back at the river, and then back at the tower. Then a thought came to mind. If Kate could reach the radio tower by using the current of the rushing waters, she may arrive at her destination with at least a day to spare, before Slenderman would find her. It would be enough time to call for some sort of aid. She was also familiar with old and new technology; it was an advantage that would give her a few extra hours.-

An all too familiar voice said, _"Kate, let's go."_

Kate examined her master; he was covered in blood from head to toe. Like usual, Kate acknowledged the words of Slenderman, but her body and will coincided with each other, and refused to go with him.

He asked her in a stern tone of voice, _"What's wrong, Kate? Aren't you coming?"_

There was a moment of silence between them. Kate stared back at the purple skies, thinking about a new life that was within her reach. A lone tear slowly strode down her cheek. Finally, Kate found the courage inside of her to stand up to Slenderman. She said, "No."

She was no longer afraid.

 _"What?"_

"Didn't you here me?" Kate said, "I'm NOT going with you."

Slenderman retorted, _"You are my proxy, Kate. I own you,"_ he hissed, _"My slaaaaaave."_ Black tentacles began to protrude from his back. _"And you're coming with me whether you like it...or not."_

Kate said with her back still turned to Slenderman, "I said no. And I'm _never_ standing by your side again. I'm tired of killing innocent people. I'm tired of doing your bidding, and getting nothing in return. And I'm tired of wallowing in self-pity, wondering what would have been different if I had jumped."

 _"You would have been dead."_ He answered. _"I suggest that you think about the consequences, before you complete your actions. As far as I'm concerned, you should be thankful...for I saved you. Now come here."_ Slenderman quickly reached for Kate's shoulder with his pale hand-

Quick as a flash, Kate turned around, and revealed her glowing knife. She thrust forwards, and drove the knife into Slenderman's stomach. He gasped for air.

 _"AHHHHHHHH!"_ Slenderman shrieked. _"YOU BITCH!"_

As a reflex, one of Slenderman's bloody tentacles moved like a whip, and whacked Kate's broad chest; sending her off of the cliff, and into the raging waters below.

Slenderman's thin hands, curled over the edge of the cliff. He peered into the grey river, and watched Kate swim. She swam until the brutal current made her actions completely useless. He said, _"So, you want to play? Fine. If I don't kill you, then something else will. No matter how you slice it Kate, you are incompetent. You won't last one...night...alooooone."_

And then the sun began to rise.

* * *

 **DAY ONE: 05:00 hours**

Kate wasn't the sharpest knife in the drawer. She was in the freezing waters for a little under ten minutes, before she finally realized that if she continued, she would most likely die from hypothermia within the next half hour, and drown. Following the river on foot seemed more logical, but it was a risk; for she would lose hours upon hours of valuable time. It was a struggle, but Kate managed to swim her way out of the current, and pull her wet body out of the unforgiving river. She lay on the grass, and attempted to catch her breath.

"I can't waste any daylight hours, or he'll catch up to me." She huffed, "I'm on my feet now. Shit. I guess the river could only protect me for so long. I have no choice now, I have to follow it."

Kate shivered as she forced herself to her feet. She looked up, and noticed that the radio tower was no longer visible; it was so far away. She started to walk beside the river. Her mission of survival could take days, maybe weeks, but after months of contemplation, Kate would rather see how far she could she run, than simply give in to the thing that she despised the most. Kate examined herself emotionally; where was that spark that she bore one year ago? One year ago...it was a time that she had it inside of herself to stand up to her greatest fear, and it was a time in her life when she finally believed in the word 'hope.'

One year ago.

Without warning, a short memory flooded Kate's train of thought:

 _Kate was occupied with three large blankets. She was helping her friend load all sorts of small items into his vehicle. They didn't take too much, and they didn't take too little. After placing the blankets into their proper position, Kate examined the back of the Volvo further. It was carrying an assortment of guns, knives, clothing, bags, blankets, and even some food; it was survival items more or less. Kate came to the conclusion that this man was prepared, and had been prepared for years._

 _Kate barely knew the man. Sure, they sent letter's and texts to one another for months, but he was extremely vague about who he was as a person. She told him everything, and yet he told her nothing. This was their first time actually talking to each other in person; she wanted to know more. CR and Kate were alike in many different ways. He underwent the same torture that she did, and understood what it was like to be manipulated physically and mentally by not just the monster, but also by regular people. CR had been haunted by Slenderman for years, proving that Kate wasn't completely insane. He was also real, and she was thankful for that much._

 _The man stood erect, and adjusted his green scarf, before saying, "Alright, Kate. I think that's the last of it."_

 _Kate tossed her survival bag into the front seat of the vehicle. She answered, "I think we're ready to get out of here."_

 _"Good," He said. "Do you need to go back home for anything? Forget anything, perhaps?"_

 _"No," Kate replied. There was a pause. Kate spoke again, "CR?"_

 _Kate's words caught CR's attention. "Yes, Kate?"_

 _Kate asked curiously, "How long...have you been able to see this...guy?"_

 _"Guy?" CR shrugged. "I guess...I've seen this entity for a very long time. When I was a kid, in fact. You see, Slenderman (for some reason) is only interested in children. I was very young when I saw that man for the first time...but once you lay your childish eyes on him...you cannot escape his wrath. Now look at me...I'm thirty."_

 _"Then," said Kate, "How did you manage to run from him for so long?"_

 _CR replied, "You are sixteen, Kate. Tell me, how did you manage?"_

 _Kate said, "I...I couldn't run. That man was always outside in the shadows...watching me. When I thought I was within the safety of my own home, he was there...watching me. In my dreams...he was watching me. And even when mother threw me into that asylum...he was also there...watching me. Now that I look back at it, I can only help, but wonder why he didn't take me then?"_

 _CR said, "I can't help you with that part. But I can tell you that Slenderman doesn't want me to live much longer. He's getting more aggressive now. He's sick of me." CR and Kate quickly entered the Volvo. They continued their conversation, "I lived the majority of my life in an asylum, like you. When I was finally out, I spent the rest of my life defending myself. I would attempt to kill him, because I was sick of being scared and sick of running. I was relentless...but now I've decided to run, because I don't want to live every day like it's my last. I've now shown my weakness..." He then raised a lone finger. "Kate, listen to me. Don't ever give up, okay? Never give up. Even if you are cornered, and you know that you are going to die, don't go down without a fight." He started the vehicle. He concluded, "That's how I survived for so long, Kate. That's how."_

Kate was crying again. Her memories, and the feelings of her endless guilt were relentless. At this very moment, she wanted him with her. She wanted him to tell her what to do. Kate's plan was too simple; so much could go wrong. Unlike CR, Kate was incompetent, she didn't know anything. The only thing she knew in this life, was how to kill.

But, she couldn't give up. Kate would stay true to CR's words, even if it meant dying.

Maybe this time, she would jump.

 _Chapter 3 is next..._

 ** _Please review! Let's try to get to 10!_**


	3. Chapter two: Make a Wish

**AN: _Please don't kill me!_ As you know in December, I was in a car accident, and there has been so much drama pertaining to a new car, and paying it off and stuff (Even though it wasn't my fault (angry face)) that it has been impossible to write in the month of January. Then unfortunately, there was a death in the family, so I was kinda bummed out for a couple of weeks, and didn't feel like writing. But I'm back, and I am so thankful for all of those who have viewed the story, reviewed, followed, and favourited it thus far. I also thank my angry readers who have been giving me angry messages. At least I know that there are people who care for the story, which pushes me to continue writing.**

 **So for that I thank you all. And please don't kill me. I brought imaginary cupcakes as a peace offering.**

 **So, here's a generous chapter. Please keep reading and reviewing. And most importantly, enjoy!**

 **I don't own Slenderman.**

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Chapter two: Make a Wish

In the tall grass, Kate was on her back beside the river. She gawked at the vivid moon as dusk settled across the sky; and listened to the rushing waters just inches below her ears.

And she couldn't move, for her body lacked the energy it needed to do so.

Earlier that day, Kate was running alongside the river's current, but she neglected to take rest when her body screamed for it. She also refused to replenish her small figure with food and water, and now she was paying the price for her actions; she couldn't even lift a finger. She was vulnerable, and Kate could only stare at the stars, and pray to God that she would survive the night, and watch the sun rise once more.

"This is just splendid," whispered Kate. "He'll find me for sure. Well, it's been a fun ride."

Suddenly, Kate could hear the rustling of leaves. It took a great deal of effort, but she somehow managed to turn her head, and peer into the distant darkness. There was something there. Was it Slenderman, perhaps? Kate's eyes and ears followed the disturbance, and it wasn't long before the noises within the shadows grew louder. Finally, _'it'_ appeared under the gleaming rays of the full moon.

Kate's eyes widened as she observed the _'thing'_ before her.

She said with a shaky voice, "A demon."

The creature was very large, and it was almost sickening to gaze upon the unnaturally curved spine that it bore. With its long limbs it crawled on all fours, and its extremely thin, jagged edged tail lagged not too far behind. The demon's facial features were extremely sharp. Its eyes were as wide as saucers, the irises were a flaming orange, and they pierced through one's soul like a thousand daggers. The rest of the demon's face was humanoid, and it brought a shiver down Kate's spine once she noticed the razor sharp teeth protruding from its mouth. Drool was pooling at its feet; it was hungry, hungry for Kate.

"Shit!" she shouted. Kate attempted to flee, but her tired body refused to move.

The demon inched closer and closer toward Kate's scrawny body. It made gurgling noises along the way.

Kate desperately cried for help, open-minded to the very slim possibility that someone would hear her and possibly aid her in her dilemma. _"This is really the end,"_ she thought. Kate closed her eyes. " _Not once did I think that I would be killed, and eaten by the hands of such a creature."_

The monster quickly examined Kate from head to toe, trying to convince itself that the girl was worth the kill. Kate did not move; she resisted the temptation to blink, and she did not breathe. She hoped that maybe the creature possessed the mentality of an everyday grizzly bear. If she played dead, and said a quick prayer, maybe it would lose its appetite and go away. But she couldn't be more wrong. Without hesitation, the demon raised its sharp claws to the sky, ready to give a hearty swipe and viciously tear apart the young girl's insides.

Suddenly-out of the blue-a lone dagger soared through the air and over Kate's body, swiftly penetrating the creature's forehead. The demon was still for a moment or two before collapsing on its side. _'It'_ was dead.

 _"What?"_ murmured Kate. She attempted to lift her head in order to observe the fallen demon, but it was of no use; her body was still recovering. "What happened?" she cried, "Who's there?!" Then she could hear the sound of small footsteps slowly starting to approach her. "Slenderman? Is that you?"

"I'm afraid not, m'dear," said a strange voice.

As if the forest couldn't get any weirder than it already was, Kate looked up and saw an older woman staring down at her; at least she thought it was a woman. Well, whatever it was, it made Kate feel rather uncomfortable. The mysterious woman was dressed in white from head to toe. Her hair was the colour of fresh snow. She was paler than a dead person, her lips were painted with a silver gloss, and her eyes reminded Kate of transparent crystals. Although this being made Kate very uneasy, there was something about her that seemed magical. The mysterious stranger said:

"Can you move, m'dear? Are you hurt?"

 _"Why so many questions?"_ Kate thought. She replied, "I cannot move. It's impossible."

"Paralysis? From fear, maybe?"

"Neglect, actually."

The woman raised two brows. She muttered, "Oh?"

Kate questioned, "Who are you?"

"My name is not important," the older woman said, "Because what's the point of formalities when you know for a fact that you aren't going to see that person for the rest of your days?"

Kate retorted, "Because it's polite, you know? But don't ignore my question! Who or what are you?"

The being waved a hand. She said, "I'm no one special. I'm just another life form gallivanting through the forest. And I don't think it matters _what_ I am too."

Kate grumbled, "I knew it. You are an entity, so it does matter _what_ you are. Are you powerful? Are you strong enough to beat Slenderman?"

The entity stared at Kate like a deer in the headlights. "Oh, is Slenderman that faceless being who tossed you into the river earlier?"

Kate corrected the woman, "I fell, escaping."

The older woman smacked her hands together and said dismissively, "Whatever! I just saw what happened."

Kate said, "Yeah, that was him. You see, I hate myself. And ridding him from my life forever is the only way that I can become a better person…if you can even call me a person anymore?"

The entity raised a brow. "What do you mean?"

Kate snapped, "Do I look human to you?!"

The stranger ignored Kate's rhetorical question.

"Wait!" Kate said, "How did you know what happened between Slenderman and I?"

The other woman squinted. She said, "Didn't you listen to my words at all? I just so happened to have stumbled upon your dilemma as I was minding my own business. After witnessing your fall, I followed you for quite some time. I don't like seeing people get hurt. It turns out that you are quite the fighter. You were so determined to escape the clutches of that man that you refused to take care of yourself when you had the opportunity to do so during daylight hours. From what I saw, that man disappeared when the sun began to rise, so I believe it is right to assume that this 'Slenderman' of yours only shows up at night?"

Kate confirmed, "Yes, and he's hot on my trail." She shifted her eyes. "You see...I'm Slenderman's proxy. The other night, I had witnessed a gruesome death. When the deed was done, I suddenly felt the victim's pain, and I started to hate myself." She paused momentarily before continuing, "I became desensitized, because I had killed so many for Slenderman. I felt nothing for the longest time. But for some odd reason, I'm feeling now." She felt as if she were on the verge of tears. "This was not the life that I had intended on living. I'm always running. If he catches me, I'll die for sure."

The entity thoroughly rubbed her chin. "So now that you are prey to him, where do you plan on going?"

Kate answered, "The radio tower."

"Ah, wait, really?! What do you plan on doing at the radio tower?"

"I'm calling for help. I know how to work older technology." Kate continued with sad eyes, "But it would probably be of no use anyway. When someone looks at me, they see a gruesome creature. I would be killed out of another person's fear. No matter how you slice it, I'm probably going to die anyway."

The entity clasped her hands together and said, "Don't give up, m'dear."

Kate snickered, "That's what a good friend of mine used to say."

"You're on a life changing journey m'dear," the older woman said. "Let me help you run."

"Huh?" Kate's ears perked. "What do you mean? How do you intend on helping one such as I?"

The entity lowered herself to Kate's level, and was quick to grab Kate's arm. A sharp tingling sensation spread through every bone, muscle and nerve in Kate's body. The young girl didn't hesitate to wiggle her fingers and toes; she breathed a sigh of relief. Kate sat up, and said, "I can move again...thank you."

The older woman said, "Earlier, m'dear, you had asked me _what_ I was?"

"That I did," Kate said.

"Well, I grant wishes, m'dear."

"You," Kate raised a brow. She said, skeptical, "Grant wishes?"

The woman in white shrugged, "I don't grant them often, and I usually don't do it for free. So consider yourself lucky!"

Kate said, "A wish…why?"

The entity softly smiled. "Because like I said before, you are a fighter. You just need a little extra push. So I'm giving you one free wish. Use it at your discretion."

Kate was in deep contemplation. Should she take the wish and run? Or deny the opportunity that was in front of her? She didn't fully trust the being. Why was she being so nice to Kate? The Creatures that lurked within the belly of this forest were known for being difficult, not nice; none of them were, so why her? If there's one thing Kate learned, it's that the entities hate the humans with a passion, and mingle with only their kind. Was this a cruel trick? If Kate accepted the wish, would she be killed and eaten? But there was the little voice inside of the young girl that begged to differ, and told her that everything was going to be okay. Maybe she could trust her; after all, she did save Kate's life.

"Okay," Kate said, accepting the gift. What was she to wish for? A different choice of weapon? For Slenderman to disappear from this world forever? To look 'human' again? There were so many options to choose from. Everything was so overwhelming that she felt like crying again. Her emotions were always getting in the way; her guilt...it was getting rather annoying. Then a thought came to mind.

Kate said, "I wish that my guilt would just go away."

The older woman did not question Kate's wish; in fact, it was almost as if she understood the pain that Kate was going through. As if she were isolated with Kate in that dark, cold asylum those many years ago. "Okay, m'dear. You're free from your guilt."

Kate placed a hand on her chest. Did it work? No. She still felt sadness, fear, anger, and guilt. It was a trick, wasn't it? Kate said in an angry tone of voice, "What do you mean it's gone?! I still feel guilty." She whined, "I feel terrible!"

The other woman explained, "Listen kid, wishes that _I_ grant appear in different forms. It's not as straight forward as you think. Also, it's impossible to take away someone's emotions. We all need them in order to survive." She exhaled, "M'dear, I cannot take away guilt itself, but I can take away the very _thing_ that caused that guilt. And who knows, maybe the cause will help you on your journey to freedom." The entity rose to her feet. "Rather than ruin you."

Kate added with a hint of sass, "Some genie you are."

The older woman smiled and then clarified, "I'm not a genie, m'dear. Just someone lending a hand." The entity clapped her hands together, causing a harsh gust of wind to blow past Kate. The young girl raised her arms; shielding her face from rogue sticks and leaves that came into her view. When the wind died, Kate slowly opened her eyes, and saw that the mysterious stranger was gone.

* * *

Kate used her knife to cut through the vast vegetation that was blocking her way. She made the decision to follow the river while hiking through the edges of the forests, so that she wasn't so obvious.

Kate was paranoid beyond belief, and had very good reason to be. The tiniest of sounds would cause her to jump, and quickly glance over her shoulder at every chance she got. Kate was overwhelmed. She desperately wanted to fall to her knees, and surrender to the monsters, but she could not find the will to do so. She had to be strong, she had to keep going. _Hide._ Kate stopped in her tracks. _Hide_. She could hear the rustling of leaves once more, and for some odd reason, she chose to look to her left-

Without warning, a long, black tentacle whipped towards Kate's body, and wrapped itself around her neck. With brute force, it pulled her deep within the shadows of the forest. It wasn't long before she was slammed against a rocky wall. With not another minute to waste, a second tentacle forced itself around Kate, and swung her in such a way, that she could come face to face with whatever it was that bound her.

Kate focused on the wretched individual before her. She said through choked sobs, "This s...soon?" It was him. _"_ S…S…Slender."-

Slenderman interrupted Kate, _"I was right when I said that you would not last one night alone. I thought that you would have tried to prove me wrong, but I see that you are still the dumb bitch that I know and that you will always be."_ Slender's black tentacles continued to suffocate the young girl. He continued, _"You betrayed me, Kate. I should snap your neck, and end it all here. At least it would be painless."_ Slenderman said. excited, _"Or, or maybe I should remove the toes and heels from your feet, so you can no longer run. Yessss, that's what I'll do. And then next, I will tear off your fingers, and then your hands_. _And then after that, I'll give you the chance to crawl away. I'll then force you to dig your own grave, and you will bleed beside the stone you cast. Oh, how that would be so wonderful!"_ He laughed menacingly, _"Oh Kate, it's a shaaaame that I must get rid of you now. You were so helpful, and obedient...but it turns out that I was so very, very wrong."_ He sneered, _"I think I'll rip your throat out instead."-_

Suddenly, a _**BANG! BANG! BANG!**_ sounded throughout the forest. Slenderman screamed as he felt lead enter his chest; his grip on Kate loosened too. Kate fell to her knees. Slenderman clutched his bleeding chest as he searched for his attacker. It wasn't long before Kate's saviour revealed themselves to the enemy. Slenderman gasped. _"I know you,"_ he said, _"But how?!"_

The silhouette then proceeded to grab Kate before her face hit the dirt. Kate could see the shadow of a man hoist her up onto his back. Then she passed out. The man gawked at Slenderman one last time, before hurrying through the bushes in the opposite direction.

* * *

Away from imminent danger, the strange man found himself holding a barely conscious Kate in the middle of nowhere. He gently lay her against the trunk of a large tree, and attempted to make her as comfortable as possible. Kate tilted her head upwards, quickly noticing the individual hovering above her. The young girl's vision was extremely blurry, so she could barely make out a face. But there was something familiar about his voice; she just couldn't seem to put her finger on where she had heard it before.

"Are you alright?" The man started. "I saw that you were in trouble, so I"-

Kate whispered, "Who are you?"

The man answered, "Does it matter? Would it be worth it considering that we may never cross paths again?"

Kate touched the sore area of her throat. She swallowed, "Thank you for saving my life. I am in your debt."

"Oh, don't be so dramatic, kid..." the stranger struggled with his speech. "Or...who, who…or _whatever_ you are."

Kate wasn't surprised to hear that statement. She was so ugly and disgusting that she questioned why he didn't let her rot at the feet of Slenderman.

Kate blinked several times, allowing her vision to focus. The man touched her, looking for any injuries; but other than a dry throat, Kate was alright. When she could see clearly, Kate examined his face; which looked all too familiar. The sharp facial features, the black wavy hair, the ocean blue eyes, and the green scarf was uncanny. Kate rolled her eyes to the side of the man's head, observing a fresh head wound that gave her an extreme sense of deja vu.

Kate said, "You look familiar. Please, what's your name?"

The man cocked a brow. He said, "You're persistent, aren't you?" He nodded. "I don't like telling people my full name for security purposes, So I consider myself a no name brand. But if you must know, I'm a man who is rather confused as to where he is and how he got here. You can call me CR. And who are you may I ask?"

Kate stared at him with crazed eyes for a moment or two, before she opened her mouth, and let out a high pitched scream.

 _Next Chapter Coming soon..._

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	4. Chapter three: Reunited

**AN: _Holy!_ I'm being generous this week.**

 **Thank you to all of my readers and thank you for all of the reviews thus far. It means the world.**

 **So here's the new chapter. Just clarifying that with CR, I will only be addressing him as 'CR' throughout the Fanfiction, because I don't want to confuse my readers between the name I gave him like 3 or 4 years ago, and the name that is now canon; so I'm only addressing him as CR. See, this is what happens when you forget to keep up with the fandom...you miss out on everything!**

 **Anyways, I hope you enjoy this chapter - fav chapter to write thus far - and don't forget to review! It takes less than 2 minutes. Hearing from my audience speaks wonders, and good or bad, it means so much; because you are _all_ the reason why I love writing.**

 **Have a great day!**

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Chapter 3: Reunited

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Kate howled. Startled birds hidden within the trees flew off into the night sky.

The air was dead and hollow. Any sort of noise could travel far distances into the night; even the sound of a cricket could achieve that feat. CR covered his ears, attempting to block out the loud noise. He shouted, "Jesus Christ! Won't you be quiet?!" But she wouldn't stop screaming. CR proceeded to quickly cover Kate's mouth with his large hand. "You don't want that _'thing'_ to find us, do you!?"

Kate briskly shook her head. Her eyes were as wide as saucers. She mumbled gibberish under the man's cupped hand.

Convincing himself that the girl had calmed down, CR gently lifted his hand from Kate's mouth. He started, "Hey, you look like you are from this forest. Can you tell me where I am? And how I got here?"

Kate stammered, "I...I don't know myself!"

CR snapped. "SHUSH!" He said, in a frustrated whisper, "Just, just, just quiet down, will you!?" CR winced as he touched the side of his head. The 'fresh' wound that he bore was impossible to ignore. It was throbbing, and felt like it was set ablaze. He muttered, "Ugh, my head already hurts. And you're giving me more of a headache from yelling."

"How is this possible?" Kate said in a murmur, yet CR could hear her frail voice without question. Her voice inclined once again, "This is impossible! How can you be alive!?"

CR was puzzled. _What was this girl going on about? What exactly...was impossible?_ "I...I don't understand. I mean, I thought that **you** of all things that dwell in this forest should have an idea of what is going on here?!"

Kate trembled. She ran her thoughts in circles, saying, "This is impossible. This is impossible." She took a strong hold on the patches of her hair, and pulled, while rocking herself back and forth as a source of comfort. She continued, "This is impossible! This is impossible!"-

CR's cold hands clutched either side of Kate's arms. He shook her in an attempt to jog her out of her own thoughts and words. "Get a hold of yourself, kid! I don't have all night to play games. Because I decided to intervene, I am _now_ in just as much danger as you are." He said in a more gentle tone of voice, "Now, answer my questions. Where am I, and how did I get here?" He shook her again.

Kate answered in sheer terror, "I'm sorry, CR! I don't know! I'm sorry!"

CR squinted. He gazed deep into Kate's empty eyes, and he too, sensed somewhat of a familiarity. He cocked his head to the side, and said, "I saw Slenderman, and I saved you from that...that...that horrible creature! Tell me, why was he trying to kill you?"

Finally, Kate calmly explained, "I...I was his proxy." She was choking back sobs. Having her best friend standing right before her eyes was overwhelming. Her heart sunk once she realized that CR did not recognize her at all, because of what she had become; a demon...a monster. "I was running away from, from him, but…he found me!" She said as the tears flowed down her cheeks like a waterfall, "CR...I cannot answer why you are here, for I do not understand; but you are situated in the eastern side of this forest."

The identity of this 'thing' was beginning to eat at CR. Who was she? Her voice sounded familiar. "Wait, you said that me being here was impossible. What did you mean? Do you know me somehow?"-

Frustrated, Kate screamed at the man, "OF COURSE I know you, CR! AND last I recall, you are supposed to be DEAD! I KILLED YOU!"

CR's eyes widened. He was in such a state of shock that words could barely form off of his tongue, "K...K...Kate? Is...Is that y...you?"

The tears ceased to stop. "Of course it's me...you idiot!"

Suddenly, CR felt nauseous. Was he dreaming? He said whilst clutching his chest, "Kate? I'm so sorry. I, I didn't...recognize you." Then curiosity overtook his senses. "What happened to you? You look so...you look awful." He couldn't have been more blunt. CR attempted to touch the side of Kate's face with a lone hand, but she quickly swiped it away.

Kate said, "Fuck you! I know how disgusting I look! I know what I am." Then she noticed the hurt look in her friend's eyes. She panicked, "I'm so sorry, CR! Believe me when I say that I am just as confused!"

CR said, "Kate, it's alright. So am I right to assume that being Slenderman's proxy eventually caused your appearance to change?"

Kate mumbled, "Yeah...along with my personality. I'm no longer sweet, and innocent. I'm a _killing machine!"_

CR exhaled. He decided to make himself comfortable beside Kate. There was a long silence between the two companions for an indefinite amount of time. It could have been minutes...hours? CR didn't keep track. Finally, Kate decided to break the ice. She said:

"I guess I'll start. So...how was the afterlife? Or...wherever you went?"

CR scratched his forehead. The crusted blood was beginning to itch. Kate couldn't help, but notice. He said, "That's an uncomfortable subject for me to discuss, but let's just say that I went to a better place." He chuckled, "Geez...I'm still shocked that this is all happening."

Kate rubbed her eyes. She was starting to relax. "Do you remember what happened before you ended up here?"

He answered, "I think so." He attempted to collect his thoughts. "I was...sitting somewhere, I think. I was relaxing in a field with some other people, and...suddenly, I felt something tug at my clothing. It wasn't long before I found myself standing in the middle of a barren field. As I searched for an answer, I heard some commotion, so I decided to see to it, and found Slenderman...strangling you. I, I thought that I'd never see that _monster_ again, but I guess ...for some particular reason...maybe it's just fate?"

Kate asked, "Why did you save me? You did not recognize me, so why?"

CR answered hesitantly, "I...I don't know to be honest. My body just moved, you know?"

Kate chuckled. "It's funny. You saved the life of the person that killed you."

CR shook his head, "No, no Kate. You didn't kill me...Slenderman did."

Kate begged to differ. "No, Slenderman critically injured you." She drew a shallow breath. "When I found you at the foot of the radio tower, you were still alive. You had been shot in the throat, in the stomach, and in the leg; and you fell, breaking every single bone in your body. So I ended your suffering. You just wouldn't die...no matter how hard you tried." She sighed, "Are you mad at me?"

"Kate, don't feel guilty for your actions towards me. I believe that no matter how you sliced it, one of us was bound to die that day."

Kate nodded. "I know," she said, "...but I can't seem to jog that memory of me failing to jump with you out of my head. I constantly sit back and think, what would have happened if I had listened to you?" She shook her head. "But I didn't jump, because I'm a coward."

CR stared at the grass surrounding his lower body.

Kate continued, "I wanted my everlasting guilt to just go away. And so I asked for it to go away...but that was all a lie too, wasn't it?"

"Well," CR chuckled. He said, not thinking clearly, "Am I your guilt or something? If so, it's standing by your side. Maybe, you should acknowledge it with what little time you have left - Wait!" A thought came to CR's mind. He said, "You mentioned that you asked for your guilt to go away...did you, somehow, summon me?"

Then a realization hit Kate. She gasped, "An entity that grants wishes saved my life earlier tonight too! However, according to her, the wishes that she grants appear with a twist. My wish, was for the guilt that was eating me alive, to part from me forever."

CR nodded. He gave an odd laugh, "I guess it did. Do you feel anything now?"

Kate answered, "Not really. So tell me, what am I supposed to do with my new found guilt?"

"That's for you to decide." He murmured, "You wished for me to be here. That is fascinating." He snapped his head back to Kate. "And to think that I thought Slenderman was only supernatural being in this forest." CR could hear Kate sobbing. It was tough to watch considering that she was a close friend. He thought, _"Was Kate always in this much pain after my death? It never crossed my mind that I would be the cause."_ Then, CR shook away his thoughts, and lay a gentle hand on the young girl's shoulder. He said, "So, to get things straight, you were running away from Slenderman? Breaking free from his prison? That's why he was trying to kill you?"

"Yes!" Kate choked, "Because I **HATE** being me!" She jabbed a finger against her breast. "I wanted to see how far I could run, but you know me, I'm not the sharpest knife in the drawer. I thought that it would be a brilliant idea to jump into the river and let it carry me to my destination...but I underestimated how cold and strong the water was."

CR agreed with Kate. "Yeah, it wasn't very smart." He said, "It is probably what got you into this mess in the first place. Huh, so there was a purpose to my 'resurrection.' Kate, do you need some help with your escape?"

Kate's ears perked. She said, "I'm sorry?"

CR elaborated, "Like, what's your plan of action? If you are escaping Slenderman, surely you have an idea of where you are going?"

"I'm going to the radio tower."

"...Is that so?"

Kate sneered, "Yes, it is. And I'm going there to call for help." She hissed, "And I'm going to die trying!"

"What do you need, then?"

Kate hugged her knees. She said sheepishly, "I need a plan. _I need help._ "

CR acknowledged Kate's words. He said, "I think I'm the right man for this particular job. That's if you'll let me help you."

"Yes."

"Good."

"CR?"

"Yes, Kate?"

"Thank you for saving my life. You've given me another chance."

CR did not answer Kate.

"CR?" Kate said once more.

"Yes?"

"Can I get a hug?" She paused momentarily before continuing, "I have to see if you're real."

At first, CR was taken aback, but then a big grin stretched across his face. He said, "Yes."

Kate swiftly wrapped her arms around CR's torso. She could feel his heart beat in his chest, she could feel his lungs move up and down, and she loved the sensation of his body heat radiating onto her cold skin. Kate even went as far as touching the familiar-and still bleeding-wound positioned on the side of CR's head. It was from that car accident...one year ago. "Does it hurt?" Kate asked.

CR shrugged. "A little, but I think I'll make it."

"Thank you, CR." She cried, "You have no idea how happy I am right now."

CR nodded, and looked through the cracks of the thick bush. He could see the sun starting to rise.

 **DAY TWO: 04:35 hours**

 _Next Chapter is coming soon..._

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_


	5. Chapter four: Forgiveness

**AN: Sorry everyone for my absence. I've been neglecting another story for a very long time and decided to add more chapters to that story before continuing with this one. Thanks to everyone for the awesome support! I will not abandon this story, and I'll continue when I can.**

 **I don't own Slender.**

 **Please review!**

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Chapter four: Forgiveness

"Kate!"

The girl jumped from her seat. She was quickly pulled out of her rancid thoughts. She dared to not look at the man. She said, innocently, "What is it, CR?"

"Our destination is the radio tower, correct?"

The young woman finally raised her head. She carefully watched the older man thoroughly search through his belongings. CR's hand bore a rough vengeance, and he was removing convenient items, that with sheer luck, happened to be in the bag. Dull knives, thin wire, matches, and a radio were silent at his feet. With these things at his disposal, Kate was unsure of what he was really searching for.

Earlier that morning, CR had given the proxy the opportunity to rip tree branches from their thick bodies and skin them to the appropriate size needed for his plan. CR himself had attempted this particular task but proved to Kate that he was a weaker individual. Then, he discovered Kate's unnatural strength. He was surprised to see that the young girl could tear strong tree limbs without the aid of a hatchet; it scared him. He imagined her doing such things to a human; shredding flesh would be a petty task, and doing so with her bare hands frightened him even more. But she was on his side, right? There was doubt inside CR, and he shamed himself for these unwanted feelings.

Kate wasn't completely stupid. She noticed CR's uneasiness and assured him that her strength was an unwanted gift. She would not lay a hand on him.

An hour had passed and Kate managed to remove over twenty wooden arms. She brought them into a neat pile beside her partner. Kate had found her place on a tree stump, patiently waiting for orders. She considered the man an authoritative figure, but as far as CR was concerned, he was far from it. He was just a simple man, wanting to escape the many horrors that had a purpose in this world.

CR trusted Kate and had given the ugly girl a single branch, accompanied with a knife. After watching Kate work flawlessly with the knife, CR took into account that the girl was efficient with these types of weapons. Kate admitted that she had carelessly lost her personal knife, so the dull one would have to do; she easily sharpened it against the smooth surface of a rock laying beside the river. And so here she was in the present, shaving healthy tree branches to CR's needed sizes with great precision.

Kate believed that CR _always_ had a brilliant plan in mind, ready for common use. The older man attempted to agree but found that the plans and strategies he made up were completely useless. He was constantly improvising, and _that..._ was a terrible risk. Kate explained to CR that she swam through the relentless river, but was almost drowned by the current. The man acknowledged Kate's words. He said, "You had the right idea, but you shouldn't have used your body. I'll tell you what; instead, let's use another means of transportation whilst using the river to our advantage."

The two companions were building a raft and were determined to finish before sunset. Presently, they were almost halfway completed their task, but CR grew more concerned by the hour; for he was almost out of wire. Obviously, it was the very thing that would keep the raft in one piece. He desperately searched for more, but a familiar gut feeling told him that none was to be found. He had to think and come up with something that he could use in order to keep them afloat. Seaweed was a possibility, but he was unsure of whether it grew in geological conditions such as a wet and forestry environment? CR nervously scanned the area, praying to find plantation that was thick, strong and useful. So far, he was unsuccessful. He refused to show the young girl his uneasiness, he didn't want to disappoint her.

Unfortunately, Kate was good at reading body language. Like CR, the woman was somewhat nervous. They had to finish before Slenderman would appear in the vicinity. But Kate swallowed her emotions; they needed to relax, or else they would receive negative results. They had to work in a more productive manner in order to achieve their goal flawlessly.

Kate questioned, "This raft will hold the both of us?"

CR retreated back to Kate. He said, "Yes. These trees are old and rigid. I'll be honest in saying that it is unbelievable that a young girl of your stature could hurt these wise trees with little effort."

Kate scoffed, "Don't give me too much praise, it took some effort. As you saw, I'm not weak anymore...just stupid, that's all."

CR said, "The raft will hold as long as the branches are proportional in size and the wire does not snap. Don't look at me like that, Kate...everything will be alright." He frowned.

Kate sneered, "What's wrong? You just said that the raft will hold."-

CR interjected, "Hold your tongue, I am doubting myself. I'm starting to believe that the wire I've used is not strong enough. It will not hold; it's too thin for these branches. I need to find something stronger, but so far, I am unsuccessful."

Kate cocked her head to the side."Why don't you make rope with dead trees?"

CR shook his head and raised a brow. "What did you say?"

Kate shrugged. "Go and find some fallen branches and remove the inner bark. There is plenty of cedar in the area." The girl paused momentarily before continuing, "Stop staring at me like that! It's not the first time I've done such a thing. However, you _have_ to make sure that the inner bark isn't hanging out of the cedar branch, otherwise, your work is useless."

CR blinked. He said, "Okay."

Kate laughed. "Lower yourself to ground zero, so you don't break your leg."-

Without hesitation, CR dropped to the dirt in front of Kate. He quickly said, "Teach me." He pushed, "Teach me now."

Kate felt a continuous flutter in her chest. She couldn't believe what she had suggested. Kate spoke of something relevant to their situation and a sense of self-esteem washed over her. "Well," Kate started, "First, we have to find branches of cedar trees. The ones that have already fallen on the ground..."

CR grinned. "Let do it."

* * *

By the time CR and Kate found enough cedar to make rope, it was almost two o'clock in the afternoon.

Kate elegantly worked the branches and gently pulled the inner bark from the cedar's outer shell. She gave a generous amount of the stringy substance to her partner and began the process of teaching the man a rare survival skill. It took over an hour of amateur teaching, but with constant determination and perseverance, CR eventually got the hang of the technique and made rope with very little assistance.

The air between the two individuals was quiet again, for concentrating on their tasks left little room for bonding.

Kate could feel tension seeping from CR's body. He was still holding a certain uneasiness within his conscience.

Kate said, "CR."

CR did not respond.

She repeated, "CR?"-

"Yes, Kate?"

She said hesitantly, "So, what was the afterlife like?" She had asked this question before, but it was pushed aside with vagueness. "I mean, what happened after I shot you?"

A shiver ran down CR's spine. Bile rose in his mouth when he observed the terrible memory. He barked, "You ask of this without a second thought! Kate, I'd rather not think about it. The last hours of my life were not a pretty sight and you are well aware of that fact. It's a sensitive subject for me."

Kate's heart sunk to the pit of her stomach. She didn't mean to upset the man. "I'm sorry. I-I I'm afraid my ugly self this past year has made me a little insensitive and ignorant. I'm not thinking properly...I'll leave the subject alone from now on."

CR said as he continued to weave flexible tree bark, "I'm not exactly elated that I've been put into this position. I'm tired of running and I was finally at peace. I wonder why you disrupted it? You should really rid of your selfish pride. It's creating your eventual downfall..." he trailed off when he noticed Kate's slumped figure.

She had stopped cutting tree branches and slipped into a blank stare. Tears welled up in Kate's eyes. She said, "I'm sorry."

CR sighed. "I'm not trying to demean you, Kate. I'm trying to make you a better person. You aren't the Kate I used to know." He smirked, "She's still curious and scared, but more blunt and opinionated. And unfortunately, your appearance is not so appealing...so you've said."

Kate retorted, "And back then, you weren't an asshole!"

CR laughed. "In all honesty, Kate, I'm happy that I'm at your side again. If I was raised from the dead by anyone, I am glad it was you."

"Same." Kate returned to her current task. It was quiet again for a minute or two before CR said:

"Why?"

Kate stopped. "What?"

"You're a proxy. That means that when I died, you were caught by Slenderman. And the way you've been talking lately, I've come to the conclusion that you must have given up...am I right?"

Kate rolled her eyes. "You caught me, CR. I did give up."

"Why? I told you many times that you must persevere; that you cannot give up. We were alone at the time. My demise gave you a greater chance of survival. I mean, you can't do everything with me!"-

"I gave up because I killed my best friend and was trapped! We were alone while Slenderman was in the distance, mocking us. What was I to do?"

"You're right," said CR. "My mistake." He stopped weaving. "There's so much tension between us, huh?"

Kate agreed. She said, "So much has changed, CR. Look at me. I'm horrible inside and out. I've killed many for the sake of my master. And you rose from the dead almost twenty-four hours ago. It's a little awkward, don't you think?"

CR briefly chuckled, "Just a little awkward. But we're getting along, aren't we?"

"We're tolerating each other. I'm sure that our escape will still be intense, and bring us closer together."

"I'm sorry, Kate."

Kate acknowledged his words, "Me too."

CR twisted his head to look at the young woman and gleamed. He said, "No hard feelings between us? Shall we start anew?"

Kate nodded. "No hard feelings, CR." She then felt heavy bricks slip from her shoulders. She felt...different, now. Was she feeling repressed emotions awakening from the tomb? Kate shook her head, ridding of her strange thoughts and said, "How is the rope coming along?"

CR shrugged. "Piece of cake. I'm almost done."

A few minutes later, CR decided to venture to the poor excuse of a raft, and remove the weakening wire.

The mortals then talked about general things. They spoke of their likes, dislikes, and CR's potential girlfriend from years ago. Kate enjoyed teasing him about it and he was not impressed in the slightest, but it was all in good fun, wasn't it? Unfortunately, these petty conversations distracted them from the inevitable, and they lost track of time. The sun was beginning to set.

CR then asked of Kate's dead mother. Kate answered, "I loved my mother, but she was a little wary of my presence. I was diagnosed with schizophrenia, just as you were, and in turn, she became a scared woman. I believed she was scared of me more than cancer. But I also believed that she loved me."-

 _"No one loves you. What brought you to the conclusion that people like you are loved by anyone?"_

The voice startled Kate. It was all too familiar and much too evil to bear, and it was ready to swallow her back into endless darkness.

 _"Same goes to you, CR."_

CR quickly snapped his head to where Kate resided. He gasped and his eyes widened. The girl was there, seemingly frozen in time; and Slenderman was there too, standing right behind her with great poise. Slenderman's black tentacles protruded from his back and wiggled in all sorts of directions. CR cried, "SHIT!"

Kate then took her only opportunity to run; she flew towards her savior.

Then, she felt a sharp pain enter her shoulder.

CR ran too when he noticed a couple of Slender's tentacles flying at his body with great speed; they were ready to crush his skull.

Kate yelled as she sprinted from the tentacles that trailed her footsteps, "So much for our hard work! And your plan!"

The man thought to himself, _"Shit, time to improvise."_ It was then that CR realized that the rope he had weaved was strong and still in his grasp. "Kate!" he shouted, getting his partner's immediate attention, "Come here and grab the rope!"

Kate did as she was told. She was fast to reach CR and took a firm hold of the object necessary for their escape.

"Now what?"

"The river, Kate!"

"WHAT?!"

"Jump into the river! There's no **time** for second guessing!"

"CR!"-

"Do you want to die!?"

"No!" Kate quickly looked over her shoulder and observed the tentacles ready to take them into oblivion.

"Then hold tight, take a deep breath, and jump!"-

And so they jumped into the angry waters, barely avoiding Slender's weapon that was meant to terminate.

A large splash was heard and clouded the entity's senses. Afterward, he approached the river and found no evidence of CR and Kate's living bodies. He waited impatiently for five fierce minutes, but they were nowhere in sight.

Slenderman assumed that they had drowned.

 _Chapter five is coming soon..._

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 **Please review! :)**


	6. Chapter five: The River's Wrath

**AN: The adventure begins! Now that all the fluffy stuff is kind of out of the way, I'm obviously going to make CR and Kate's lives a living hell like last time, so brace yourselves! The thriller/drama/action genre is now upon us.**

 **Thank you to all of my readers for your awesome support! Without you, I wouldn't be writing. I don't own Slenderman.**

 **Please enjoy, and don't forget to review! I would greatly appreciate it.  
**

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Chapter five: The River's Wrath  


CR's head rose above the river, almost as fast as the speed of a bullet. Many times, he gasped for breath as he fought the strong current, desperately trying to not be pulled under. He quickly scanned the area surrounding him, but saw no evidence of his companion. It took a good chunk of time for CR to register that he was still grappling the rope made from tree bark. Before slipping into a panicked state of mind, the older man gently tugged the rope underwater. He felt the rope tense, giving CR the impression that Kate was still conscious, but struggling to rise to the surface. The man pulled on the rope with a strength that he didn't know he could muster, attempting get Kate some needed oxygen. Despite Kate's strength and agility, she was still as light as a feather; he thanked the Lord several times for this.

Suddenly, CR heard a large gasp approximately ten feet away. He peered behind his shoulder with scared eyes, and found the girl choking on water; she too, was fighting for her life. Kate didn't remember the river being _this_ violent; however, it bore a reputation for being deceiving. CR, frightened, waited for the girl to calm, before speaking:

"Kate, are you alright?"

He heard a harsh scream in return. CR said, "Kate, don't let go!"

The gentleman was questioning whether Kate could hear him or not. "Do not let go, girl! Pull on the rope-" salt water entered his mouth, and he swallowed. After a brief coughing fit, CR continued, "If you can hear me!" The coughing ensued. _  
_

Once again, CR felt the rope tense. Good.

CR searched the vicinity with what little vision he possessed. He could feel the rough and ragged rocks below his feet; and they seemed to be getting bigger the further they drifted along the river. The water was turning shallow; if their venture continued, their limbs would be ripped apart; their necks and spines would snap in half and cease to function. CR vomited up a generous amount of river water while attempting to keep a standstill. His feet discovered a crevice between three grand boulders; he slipped them inside, allowing his body to stay rigid. Firmly in place, CR suddenly felt the rope go slack.

He yelled, "Don't let go, Kate!"

He was given only one chance to make their dangerous situation right. CR waited for the woman to momentarily slip by him, before fiercely pulling the rope towards his aching body. "Hold tight, stay still," he grunted. CR then proceeded to 'reel-in' the weaved cedar inch by inch; and with every waking breath, he drew Kate closer to him. CR then told Kate to kick her feet in order to make his life a little easier; however, every time she did so, an ear splitting scream would escape her lips. It seemed she was injured. Was the girl hurt from the jump?

CR continued to fight the waves, bringing Kate nearer to his wet body. His arms were getting very cold and sore, and he wasn't sure how much longer he could keep this up. A few feet away, CR could hear unnatural sounds coming from the girl; it was an assortment of gurgling, chokes, grunts and groans. Upon hearing these noises, the man became deeply concerned. For the time being, CR had to push his feelings aside, and focus on the placement of his feet. He slipped a couple of times, because of the angry current, but managed to keep his ground. CR repeated, worryingly, "Please Kate, hold on. Don't let go."

CR's back hit a wall. He noticed a thick, single invasive tree root protruding from the cracks. Without hesitation, CR shifted to his left and grasped the strong root. He swiftly tied his end of the rope to the base of the organic object and let go, for he was already secure between the rocks. Although tired, CR fought the urge to give up and used both of his hands to aid Kate.

CR ingested more water; the smell and the taste were overwhelming. His throat and chest were burning from the salt and algae. He choked, _"Fucking water!"_ He then turned his attention back onto his friend. He shouted, "Kate, I beg of you, do not let go. We're almost there, we're almost there."

Kate was exhausted; her end of the rope was starting to loosen.

"No, no, no!" CR was at his breaking point; he was desperate to save Kate. If she let go, the man might as well take a hold of her and find safety elsewhere. In arm's reach, CR stretched out a free arm as a gesture of possible shelter from the brutal storm. Kate accepted the man's gesture, and clutched his hand tightly, almost to the point of breaking his fingers.

Kate yelped. She lowered that particular arm and reached with the other. Awkward movements created many obstacles for CR, but he somehow managed to grapple her sleeve and slam her tiny body against his. He wrapped his arms around Kate's waist like an octopus. He had her, but now what?

Kate started to weep. The pain was unbearable.

CR looked down and peered at Kate's backside. He gasped when he noticed a blade that was completely embedded into her shoulder. Not an inch of sharp steel was to be seen through the naked eye.

"No, no," said CR, "Hold on, Kate. Don't worry, I'll get you out of this."

Kate whimpered.

CR said, "Continue holding the rope, Kate. Don't let go. I'm getting out of the river now. Don't fret, I'm here to help you."

CR reached behind him and felt for leveled ground. Using the majority of his upper body strength, CR was able to escape the clutches of the river. As soon as the breeze kissed his drenched figure, he started to shake.

CR needed to think. He had to figure out a way to drag Kate out of the water without injuring her further; he also had to keep her as still as possible. CR bent forwards and grasped the rope, towing Kate to shallow ground. After several attempts, Kate found her footing, and like CR, tucked a lone foot in-between the boulders. Reluctant to do so, CR carefully slipped his lengthy body back into the water and stood before Kate. The man no longer needed the elongated object. He ordered, "Grab the tree root just below the surface. It's strong, so it shouldn't break free from the wall."

Kate acknowledged her friend, releasing her hands from the very thing saving her from certain death. CR snatched the rope from Kate, and proceeded to attach it to the root as well. He also tied the rope around Kate in such a way that the lift would cause the girl little pain. Once again, CR escaped the water, and reached for the vacant end of the cedar rope. He coughed up more water, before instructing Kate with a shaken voice, "I'm hauling you out now. Don't let go, you hear?"

Kate nodded.

CR said, "Everything is going to be fine, trust me. Please, do not move your arm."

Kate gave another slight nod, giving the man full permission to extract her from the river.

CR could not lie, "I'm telling you, Kate, that this is going to hurt a little bit. You are allowed to scream."

Suddenly, CR jerked the rope with great force. Kate's body rose out of the raging waters, carefully ascending from imminent danger.

Agony ripped through Kate's shoulder. She shrieked, "My god, Shit!"

CR's heart broke for the young woman. He hated himself for completing this task, and endlessly wished that there was an easier way, but it was his only option. CR continued his actions, until Kate was high enough for him to firmly wrap an arm around her hips. He pulled her close to his chest and lugged her to solid ground. It was over, they were safe for now.

The older man gently embraced Kate, whilst trying to catch his breath. Both individuals were ice cold, failing to give each other warmth. Their clothing was stuck to their skin, and if they did not find shelter and dry off soon, they would definitely fall ill overnight. CR let go of Kate and placed her flat onto her stomach. He examined the knife in Kate's shoulder once more; again, the blade was deep underneath her skin. CR contemplated to himself, wondering if it was safe to remove the object.

Kate tried to move, but the man was quick to stop her. "Do not move, Kate. Your injury will only worsen."

Kate shot a look at CR hovering above her. She witnessed a scared man and could hear anxiety itself as he spoke. Kate decided to rebel against her companion, and shifted her body weight. A wave of terrible discomfort washed over the girl. She clenched her teeth.

CR yelled, "I said don't move!"

Kate cried, "CR, what's going on? What is wrong with my body?"

CR was taken aback. How on earth could he tell a young girl that she had been impaled with a knife?"

"CR!"

So the man gave Kate a choice. "Would you prefer a lie, or the truth?"-

"The truth, CR!"-

"Okay...okay," CR said bluntly, "A knife is stuck in your shoulder. It's really bad, Kate."

Kate whimpered, "Oh my god." And then, she screamed, "Oh my god, I've been stabbed? He stabbed me!"

CR lightly soothed Kate's back with a frozen hand. "Shh," he said, "You have to stay calm."-

Kate interjected, "Just get it out of me, please!"

"Yes, Kate, I will."

Without further ado, CR removed his soaked jacket and tossed it beside his feet; he readied for severe bleeding. As he reached for the weapon, he noticed that his muscles were twitching. He couldn't possibly perform this task with a quivering hand; otherwise, he might cause some horrible damage. CR then discovered that his arms momentarily stopped convulsing for approximately ten seconds, before resuming their shivering. CR mumbled in Kate's ear, "I'm going to remove the knife, but only when I am capable of doing so. I'm really sorry for this. It will all be over soon."

CR placed his hands mere inches from the handle of the blade, and patiently waited for his shivering to cease. Meanwhile, Kate wriggled. "Stop moving," CR barked.

After twenty seconds of cries and protests from Kate, CR's hands finally stopped convulsing. Without hesitation, the man grasped the blade and removed it with one swift motion.

"AHHHH!" Kate felt as if she were going to pass out.

CR pushed the bloodied knife aside. As expected, dark-red blood seeped from the wound; it wasn't as bad as CR had anticipated. He put pressure on Kate's shoulder with the aid of his jacket. Kate grunted. CR said, "I'm sorry, but I have to do this."

Kate said, "It is out? Please say that it is out!" She already knew that the weapon had been detached, but she needed reassuring words from her brave friend. She owed him twice now. "Is everything over?"

CR licked the salt from his blue lips. He said, "For now, we're safe." He continued, "Stay still for a moment, Kate, while I start us a fire. Then, we will flush your wound, and hope to god that we survive the night."

"Okay...CR?"

"Yes, Kate?"

"Do you think Slenderman thinks we are dead? If so, maybe he'll stop chasing us?"

CR grinned, "Possibly."

CR left Kate's side and sauntered towards the forest in search for wood. It was then, that a familiar ring shot through both the man's ears and mind. Static was beginning to cloud his vision too.

 _ **DAY TWO: 21:00 hours**_

 _Next chapter, coming soon..._

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 **Don't forget to review! :)  
**


	7. Chapter six: Page 1

**AN: Short chapter, but I am so excited, because what's a Slenderman story without the most iconic part of the game. I don't own Slenderman.**

 **Please read and review!**

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Chapter 6: Page 1

With some struggle, CR eventually organized a solid amount of tree branches in order to start a fire. After cleaning the knife that impaled his friend, Kate, not so long ago, the man passive aggressively forced the proxy to create a spark, hoping to successfully make a fire; for Kate bore more skill in these particular situations, unlike CR, who would need a lighter instead. At last, warmth was formed and Kate's wound was sort-of clean. CR failed to find cleaner water, so he reluctantly used water from the river, the salt burning Kate's back to no end, but she fought through the pain and now she was fast asleep, waiting for the sun to rise.

CR, with the knife in hand, was on the lookout for anything suspicious or threatening. He hoped that Slenderman assumed their status as _dead meat_ and would not come looking for them. And even if Slenderman were following them, it would be sunrise before he would show. CR had a gut feeling that the next time they would meet up with the ferocious demon, they wouldn't be so lucky. He refused to use the river ever again.

Suddenly, CR's head started to spin; he felt light as a feather; and his vision started to blur.

Their clothes were still wet, and clinging to their bodies, but the surface of their skin was dry now. They were just uncomfortable. CR placed a hand onto his forehead; there was a possibility that he was running a fever, created from the chill. But no, he felt cool to the touch. His world did not cease to stop spinning and it seemed to be getting worse. The man then felt nauseous, but brushed it off and waited for it to pass to the best of his ability.

In waiting, CR further thought about their situation. While gawking at the wetness of the tall grass, he tried to come up with a plan of escape; something that made sense and that would bring them to their final destination. Following the river was key to reaching the radio tower with ease, but it wasn't their only option. Maybe they could climb to higher ground and walk along the perimeter of the forest; however, with Kate's injury, she would be unable to climb such a treacherous terrain, no matter how strong or fast she is.

CR looked back at Kate, observing her ugly features as the relentless dizziness continued. He hated the fact that after his death, she had just given up, and was made a proxy without a fight; however, it was probably the only way to continue living and that her only way of doing so was to become a proxy and do Slenderman's bidding. What a horrible year she must have lived. Even if they did escape the monster's clutches, who would want to bed her? Who would want to take the girl under their wing despite how terrible she looks? Her future may be no brighter in society than it is here now.

CR then pondered on how he came to be here. He was here for Kate, but why? He was resurrected from the dead for heaven's sake! Was he only here to be used as a tool for someone's benefits; and once useless, would he disappear and be sent back into the afterlife? He was not entirely sure about the context of the situation, but he didn't press Kate any further. She begged him for help and so he would give it to her. Maybe he wouldn't survive, but he'll sure as hell die trying to save his friend. Kate reminded CR of his late sister. Not in physical features, but personality. She was always so vulnerable and caring, but sometimes gave into her pride and desires. She always relied on CR for a lot of things, including her rescue from death, but he failed upon doing that, constantly blaming himself for her death from so long ago, when in fact it was Slenderman's doing. This time, CR _will_ protect his best friend; he'll protect Kate at all costs.

Then, his stomach growled. He needed to find food and continue searching for fresh water, and fast.

CR's dizziness proceeded, giving the man little peace to do anything productive. He rose to his feet and immediately toppled over. He cursed under his breath and shut his eyes, waiting for the episode to pass. When he finally opened his eyes, he was seeing doubles; he staggered to his feet and headed back into the forest. He felt awful once again for leaving Kate's side, but in order to quench their thirst and fix their hunger, he must do as he sees fit. Although CR was a walking corpse and Kate was a monster, they were still human and very much alive. They needed nourishment, sleep, and shelter, like any organic being.

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CR was in the forest for almost an hour, and his body heaved four times, spilling nothing, but air. The nausea was so overwhelming that he almost wanted to shove his fingers down his throat and at least force vomiting, but he did not have the stomach to follow through with his actions. His vision was blurry again. Then, he started visualizing things that seemed a little out of the ordinary. Anything green, such as bushes, trees, and grass acquired a blue hue, and the sky was a vivid shade of purple that you couldn't possibly lose in the snow. Some things were melting or growing in size. These visuals were burning his eyes and liquefying his brain, and he wasn't sure what was causing these hallucinations.

 _'Hallucinations...'_ he thought, _'The river!'_ CR had remembered that he swallowed too much salt water for his taste. I guess it was expected.

Just then, everything went back to normal, or so his mind informed him. The atmosphere surrounding him was quiet, too quiet; a cricket nor the tiniest mosquito could be heard in the area. Then, the previous ringing that pierced his senses, presented themselves once again. The sound's frequency turned into a high pitched squeal. The noise was constant, and it hurt immensely; he was tempted to cover his ears and compress his head in order to block out the shrill. CR swore that he could hear a hoarse voice within the squealing, but alas, he again, blamed the river.

His symptoms grew worse. When would this torture end?

CR stopped; he was dry heaving into the bushes. The man then grunted in frustration. He wanted nothing more, but to keel over and die in the mud. This river was treacherous. The ringing increased in frequency, and it was then that CR realized that the noise was not a symptom of salt water. The horrendous hallucinations, yes, but the ringing, no.

The man shook as he rose to his feet and continued through the bush; his knuckles turning white as he clasped the knife tightly, as if he were expecting something viscous to ambush him. Now, he forgot what he was looking for. Why he was here in the forest? _Kate_...he needed to go back. He needed to go back to the girl and put everything to rest...but which way? CR searched the environment surrounding him and observed nothing more than constant repetition; his entire sense of direction was warped.

He murmured, "Shit."

A hint of static glossed over CR's vision. It showed earlier, but he just brushed it aside. It had returned, stronger now, and to CR's body, passing out seemed like a good option. It had been a year since the man's sight clouded like this. The only time the static appeared was when Slenderman was in the vicinity, ready to snatch him away and kill him slowly.

CR broke into a cold sweat. He wondered if Slenderman was already here. Did they not travel that far down the river? Had the monster already eaten Kate? Or was Slenderman coming for CR first? There were so many unanswered questions, but CR had to push those current thoughts aside, and get out of the forest as safe and quickly as possible. The static got worse, and CR could only hear ringing at this point in time; it felt like he had gone to an extremely loud concert for three days straight. The man covered his eyes, trying to swallow the nausea down again.

CR looked around and squinted as he approached the shadows, but Slenderman - or any other being for that matter - was nowhere in sight. Maybe the salt water was getting to him after all; maybe this was only a hallucination; and maybe he would survive the night. CR placed a finger against the bottom portion of his lip. Now, which direction should he go in order to reach headquarters?

Then, something unexpected and familiar caught CR's eye. An object was stuck to a nearby tree in front of him. He cautiously approached the item and observed a fresh sheet of white paper attached to the green, organic being. He raised a brow; there was something all too familiar about this. CR then detached the sheet from the tree and read its scribbled contents:

He spoke aloud, "Has no eyes, yet he can see me. Has no ears, yet he can hear me. Has no mouth, yet he can taste my aura. He is the epitome of evil and there is nowhere I can hide."

CR said internally, _"Isn't that the truth?"_

The man then remembered that fateful night one year ago. Around that time, he had lost Kate, and in turn, she had left eight pieces of paper behind in order for him to find her sleeping body. It was a possibility that he needed to collect another eight pieces for a particular reason unknown to him. Would they lead to a way out, or was this a trap? He was conflicted.

CR heard a shuffle. He peered over his shoulder and saw something slip through the trees. A quick glimpse told him that the figure was a woman dressed all in white.

"Weird," he said, before directing his attention back to the piece of paper.

CR was still cautious after what he had just seen, but as a man, he could only focus on one thing at a time.

Not wasting any time, CR shoved the important page into his still wet pocket.

After, another familiar sound suddenly overwhelmed his sense of hearing.

 _Boom...Boom...Boom._

"Shit."

 _Next Chapter is coming soon..._

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 **What's a Slenderman** **fanfiction without the 8 pages?!**

 **Will CR do better and not fall down a hill this time? Will he be more graceful? I don't know, he seems kind of loopy to me.**

 **What will be the reward for finding these pages? Or is this all a trap?**

 **Hope you are all excited about the 8 pages as I am.**

 **Reviews are appreciated. Do so, and you get a high five in spirit. :)**


	8. Chapter seven: Page 2

**AN:It's been so long! Please review.**

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Chapter 7: Page 2

CR had been wandering through the forest for a while; minutes, possibly hours; it was hard to tell for there was no way to tell time, other than just looking at the night sky. With his light fading fast, CR gawked from side to side, not only looking for pages, but also his nightmare that would not cease to haunt him. He thought himself dead and parted from the monster once and for all, but alas, it was not meant to be. But enough about himself, he needed to find supplies; water, food, anything to help Kate survive. Several scenarios flashed through CR's mind. Was Kate already dead? Did Slender fly past him, only to reach his proxy first?

CR couldn't think about that now. He already found a page, now he needed to find others in order to see what lay ahead of him? A trap, a ghost, a monster, some food, or maybe some clean water? The static clouding his mind and eyes was worsening, along with his coordination.

Suddenly, his flashlight stopped working.

CR aggressively whispered, "Sshhhit!" He smacked the end of the flashlight against the palm of his hand a few times, hoping to get some sort of illumination out of it, but it was of no use; the juice was all gone. CR tossed the flashlight aside.

After a few paces forwards, his awful symptoms finally subsided; he breathed a sigh of relief. Then, not paying any attention, CR's body slammed into a large, solid object. Feeling the shape of the object in the dark, it felt round on one end, and jagged on the other. Once CR's eyes adjusted to the blackness, he discovered that the inorganic object was none other than a truck. It was abandoned and the window was nonexistent. CR took a peek inside, and noticed a flashlight resting on the seat. CR attempted to open the door, but it was jammed. Then, he reached through the open window, and unlocked the door, but after his second attempt at opening it, he realized that he wasn't getting in the easy way; the truck was so old and rusted that its doors just wouldn't budge. As a last resort, CR climbed through the window, and grasped the flashlight. He turned it on, and much to his surprise, it was still working; he doubted that it would stay on for long though. CR clicked off the light.

Once the 'new' flashlight was in his grasp, he took a few steps backwards to get a better look at the truck. After thoroughly examining it, CR discovered that it was an old, blue Volvo; it had been carrying something attached to it, but he was unsure of what until he gawked to his left, and discovered a small trailer; dirty, and lying on its side. It too was empty. Turning on his flashlight, he quickly scanned the inside, and found nothing more than old paper, beer cans and glass bottles.

CR then heard rustling in the bushes behind him. He jerked his body around, raised the flashlight to the level of his eyes, and discovered...nothing; nothing was there.

Wary of his well-being, CR wandered around the trailer, and it didn't take long for him to spot something white; and thin taped to it; a page. CR gazed his eyes upon it, and focused his attention onto a poorly drawn picture of Slender; surrounding the monster were a bunch of evergreen trees; it was very familiar as it was what he as a boy would often draw when he was in Slender man's terrible clutches. Like clockwork, CR snatched the page off the trailer, and quickly left the scene. He then stumbled upon a gravel path, and looked straight ahead. In the distance he could another object that looked like another truck; except it was brown.

As CR took another step closer to the truck's destination, a blood curdling shriek rang through his ears, and static began to cloud his vision once again. Fighting through the pain, CR stepped up the pace. He shut off his flashlight to sustain its life for just a little bit longer.

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 **AN: As always, my eight pages chapters are always short; some will be longer than others. Please review. And sorry I've been tardy on this. A lot in my life has come up. I'd like to thank all my readers who have been supporting this story. I'm glad you are enjoying the story thus far.**


	9. Chapter eight: Page 3

**AN: I'm back from Hiatus. I wanted to finish another fanfiction story that I'd been working on for four years before I moved on to this one. I also hope people know where CR is at the moment. :)  
**

 **I don't own anything regarding the Slenderman franchise.**

 **Please review!**

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Chapter 8: Page 3

 _BOOM...BOOM...BOOM._

The 'booming' noises continued to soar through the vast forest, never failing to send chills down CR's spine. He attempted to allow his mind to push aside the creepy noise, and focus on a brown, rusted truck sitting in front of him. Just like the other modes of transportation, he scanned the exterior of the truck, but there was no page to be found; his eyes were possibly deceiving him, or there was no page posted on this particular landmark. Then, an idea came to mind. Using his flashlight, he peered into the interior of the truck, seeing if there was anything in there to not only aid him through this forest, but to also help Kate if he were able to get out of this area alive, but there was only garbage. CR continued to shine his only light on the vehicle as he heard static ring through his ears. The static was getting louder and louder, and wasn't long before it was seemingly in front of his nose. CR looked upwards, and observed none other than a familiar figure standing eerily behind a tree. The entity was at least fifty feet away from CR, carefully watching his every move. It was odd, for all of his life, CR had known Slender to be an aggressive being towards him, yet the creature did not chase him, nor did it seem like he was keen on doing so. CR kept a watchful eye on the monster as he shut off his flashlight, and journeyed down the gravel road. He'd possibly have to come back later.

As CR quickly walked down the trail, his dizziness, the static and constant screeching subsided, but the haunting _BOOM_ , was still present. He peered over his shoulder, and noticed that Slender had moved a little bit. CR thought, _"Why is he so slow? When did that thing become so patient?"_ CR shook his head. That question should've been the last thought on his mind; he had to continue for not only his sake, but for his friend's sake. He managed to ignore Slenderman, and finally, his symptoms were no longer invading his senses.

Twenty minutes had passed since his last landmark, and CR was beginning to slow down. He was still weary from the commotion in the river, and exhausted from the trauma that he endured while getting this far. It felt like hours, but finally, the man could see something other than trees ahead of him. There was a tunnel, a very large one at that, and as he cautiously approached it, he gawked on either side to see if there was a way to go around the dark, dismal tunnel rather than in it, but alas, there was only one option, and that was the latter.

Suddenly, CR heard shuffling behind him, and static began to travel through his ears. He neither refused to turn on his flashlight nor was he tempted to turn around; he only continued walking forwards. It was only when CR reached the entrance of the tunnel that the static stopped, and at last, he found it safe to look over his shoulder; he saw nothing there. Slender was no longer following him. CR knew that Slender was fast, and he wouldn't have been surprised if the entity were waiting on the other side; however, he could not go back. This area was big. Surely, he'd find a page here. Too dark to see even the slightest speck of dust, CR turned on the flashlight, and shone it across the tunnel's walls. He found some weird drawings, but nothing that surprised him, or gave him any indication that there was a deeper meaning, because he'd been there before. After searching for a couple of minutes, CR was becoming frustrated. This tunnel was a landmark. How come he was failing to find a measly piece of paper? The man prayed that he hadn't walked past it, because there was no way he could go back without being caught.

After endlessly searching for a page, CR thought it a good idea to turn around. He swore under his breath as he swiftly turned his body, but then choked on air when he discovered Slenderman hovering over his tall body.

CR yelled, "Hell, no!"

He made sure that his flashlight was tightly in his grasp before pulling out a knife. The entity eerily stood in place as his tentacles protruded from his back. They moved in several directions before quickly travelling to CR. Their objective was to wrap themselves around CR's torso, but he managed to deflect the tentacles with his trusty knife; unfortunately, upon touch, the steel on his knife immediately melted. After ditching the knife, CR hurried through the remainder of the tunnel as fast as he possibly could whilst the tentacles continued to reach for him; one almost managed to grasp his left arm.

When CR was clear from the tunnel, he continued running. He took another glance over his shoulder, and saw Slenderman unnaturally standing at the exit. CR ran until he was out of breath. He bent over and panted, and was sure that the entity would take advantage of this moment, but he didn't. CR couldn't comprehend why Slender was so tame, and passive tonight. The static stopped. It was an indication that Slender was temporarily gone.

"I must keep going," CR said aloud. "I must find something...something aside from pages...maybe there's medicine, food or something." CR was beginning to question his motive, and constantly asked himself what the end result would be? Would it lead him to supplies? Or would there be no reward at all?

CR noticed that his flashlight was starting to dim. He growled deep within his throat, "Come on, not this one too!" He shut off the flashlight to conserve power. CR searched for two things as he pushed himself further down the path: Slenderman's towering figure, and supplies that could potentially help Kate. If she was presently okay, she was mostly likely cold, hungry, thirsty and hurting from the knife wound; he definitely regretted leaving her alone. For all he knew, she could already be dead, and his efforts would have been for nothing. She brought him back from the dead so that he could protect her, but could he live up to her expectations? What would happen to him if he failed his mission, or if he succeeded? Would he be sent back into the spirit world? Or would he still be living through this hell?

CR continued his journey around a curve before approaching a side road that led into some funny looking trees. He squinted, and slightly tilted his head to the side. Upon further examination, the area bore trees, but their tops and side branches were missing or removed. They sort of looked like tall, unfinished totem poles.

CR said, "What the hell kind of layout is this?" He pondered what the meaning of some of these things was. First, there were two Volvos, an unnecessary tunnel, and now weird tree stumps; what could be next? It didn't make sense! CR turned his flashlight back on. As he sauntered between the poor excuses for trees, he was finding it hard to spot any visible pages, for his flashlight was becoming unreliable. He was afraid that this area was also missing what he was desperately looking for. He also hoped that the rest of these pages were placed on landmarks, and not on random trees.

Then, CR spotted something white; he shone his fading flashlight upon it. He scanned the page. It bore a million 'no's' all over it. With an elongated sigh, CR removed the page from the odd tree, and stuffed it in his pocket with the other two pages. His clothes were still wet, but slowly drying.

Then, the constant _BOOM_ noise quickly shifted into an annoying _CREEEAA_ sound; it was his mind playing games with him again, testing his sanity. CR searched the surrounding area, looking hard for his long time enemy, but he was nowhere in sight. That was good news. It now gave him more than enough time to find a new weapon; one that was _not_ susceptible to melting by Slender's touch.

 _Chapter 9 is next..._


	10. Chapter nine: Pages 4 and 5

**AN: Please read, review and most of all, enjoy!**

 **Thanks to all my readers, reviewers and followers. Shout out to the guest reviewer Kenji for being a great person, and following this story since the very beginning.**

 **I don't own Slenderman: The Arrival. Belongs to Mark and Blue Isle Studios.**

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Chapter 9: Pages 4 and 5

CR made a mistake.

With his undependable flashlight that was almost out of battery, the man failed to turn around and return to the main path; instead, he decided to cut through an area with many trees. This area was pitch black and filled with thick, tall trees, giant bushes and many other forms of vegetation. The scenery was quite disorientating, and for one brief moment, CR was unaware of his surroundings and questioned why on earth he was playing this game in the first place?

After ten minutes of wandering aimlessly, CR finally reached a wider path. He looked to his right, and noticed that stupid tunnel in the distance. He shook his head; he refused to go back into that hell hole. Besides, something inside told him that a page wasn't there anyways, so there was really no sense in trying again. CR then turned his head to the left and observed a barren environment with two mediocre-sized structures. On one side was a one story building. On the other side were at least ten gasoline tanks. He sat there, wondering which area was worthy to be checked out first.

Ideally, the gasoline tanks would be his best bet as he was still outdoors, which would increase his chances at finding a page. Pertaining to the building, he was unsure of its layout, thus the piece of paper would be nearly impossible to find without having a panic attack. Then again, the more CR thought about it, the building would be the more logical choice for there could also be supplies that could potentially help him and his friend survive. There could be another weapon. There could be another flashlight.

There was only one way to find out.

CR turned off his flashlight as he approached the building. He eventually determined that it was a restroom like the ones you see at the beach.

The man cautiously peered into one of the building's openings. It was very dark inside. He then entered what was most likely the men's side of the washroom. As CR examined this particular area, he determined that the building's exterior was simple in design, but the architecture of its interior was complex. There were too many rooms, and not all of them bore toilets and sinks. CR took a deep breath. He said to himself, "Okay, this shouldn't be too hard. Don't over think this. Just hurry up, and find the page without question, and then get out as fast as you can."

CR hated the thought that he was stuck in an enclosed space while getting chased by a monster that could easily kill him. CR wasn't normally claustrophobic, but unfortunately, the circumstances that he was in gave the man a few difficulties. With his flashlight now illuminating the way, CR vigilantly moved from room to room, searching for the infamous white piece of paper. There were three rooms in this structure, but no pages were in plain sight. CR stopped for a moment before turning around. He was listening for static, ringing, or any other warnings that would indicate to CR that Slenderman was near, but for now, nothing could be heard. CR quickly turned around, and exited the restroom. As he hurried to the other side of the building, a decent thought came to mind. Maybe the page was on the exterior of the building rather than the interior. So, CR decided to look through every nook and cranny of the building's exterior, before finally coming across the women's side of the restroom. Without hesitation, CR entered and was greeted with the exact same design and layout; in a way, it boggled his mind. The man swore that he was here before until he looked inside one of the rooms and noticed that there wasn't a urinal, only a toilet.

"Alright," CR exhaled, "I'm not going nuts."

Just like the men's side, CR entered every room, but was having no luck at finding the page. He was almost on the verge of an expected panic attack, but his emotions ceased once he discovered a page that had text written in big, bold letters, 'Can't Run.'

CR scoffed. "Yeah, _I ran_ , and look where it got me. I'm practically a zombie." CR violently ripped the page from the washroom wall, and bid adieu to the current room he was in. When CR was outside, the man instantly smacked his hand against his forehead. He grunted, "Oh you stupid man! I forgot to look for supplies!" Now CR desperately wanted to go back in to see if he could find something useful, but he told himself that it was too late.

It was too bad that CR was too keen on getting out of the restroom. He didn't miss out on any survival supplies, but he missed out on a couple of batteries that lay in the corner of a room that after ten years had some juice still left in them.

CR made his way towards the tankers that contained flammable liquids; it was gasoline most likely. He scanned each tank from end to end with light that could barely engulf darkness. He also smelt something terrible. The gasoline inside their tanks was probably old and if handled the wrong way it could potentially explode and start a massive fire, not to mention also kill him in the process.

Then, CR spotted a white piece of parchment taped onto the last tanker in the area. As he drew closer towards the said object, the static and ringing in his ears started again. CR determined that if he heard these noises faintly, Slenderman was far from his presence, but if the noises were loud, he was definitely within reach. Although uncomfortable, CR continued his mission, and refrained from looking back. Static started to cloud his vision. He tried to blink the symptoms away, but it only got worse. The noises were louder now. He had no choice but to get out of there.

CR heard a shuffle; this grabbed his undivided attention. He gawked to his right, and in between two tankers, Slenderman was there, less than ten feet in front of him. The entity was unmoving.

CR said, startled, "Shit!"

Before the tentacles on Slenderman's back had time to grab the human's body, CR was already bolting for the page, which bore the drawings of a tree and the words, 'leave me alone.'

CR grasped the page, and without thinking, sprinted back into the dense forest only to get lost again. The man shut off his flashlight. He was in trouble. His flashlight was almost a useless object, and he was desperate for a weapon that would at least give him a chance to fight back.

 _Chapter 10 is next..._


	11. Chapter ten: Pages 6,7 & 8

Chapter 10: Pages 6, 7 & 8

CR ran further away from where he currently was. At last, he was back onto the gravel path. The man noticed a large yellow object in the distance; it was formed with several bricks and in the shape of an 'x'. The constant static was fierce, and refused to subside, so he forced his body to continue walking until he reached his destination. Taking his flashlight, he turned it on, and chucked it back into the forest. He hoped that his actions made it look like he scurried into the bush, tricking Slender. Then, it dawned on him. "Great, now I'm without a flashlight," he whispered. He'd have to find another one along the way. The static and ringing eventually went away, and he took the opportunity to catch his breath; these things were exhausting. After briefly searching the yellow brick walls, he discovered that tucked in the corners was a small pile of junk. His eyes widened. He consoled himself, "Finally."

Without further hesitation, CR ran to the miscellaneous items, and hurriedly searched for anything that could be of value. It was mostly scrap metal; nothing that was remotely close to medication or illumination. In the never ending darkness CR thought to himself, _"Shit. Why is the sun not rising? This would be a whole lot easier in the daytime."_ Seconds that felt like hours passed, and he found something that gave him an ounce of relief; a revolver. The gun was dirty in the barrel, rusted all around, and he unsure if it would work at all. The firing pin may be damaged, thus making it useless. CR opened the slide, and noticed a couple of bullets already chambered and cocked. After stuffing the item in his pocket, CR turned his attention back to the pile of rubble and searched; he found extra ammunition neatly placed in an unopened box. He looked at the expiry date, and it appeared that the bullets were over ten years old. He guessed that his newfound source of survival was probably going to be unreliable, but it was better than nothing, and he'd rather go down trying than giving up.

The static started again. It was louder than it had ever been. CR covered his ears. He looked up, and saw that although the wall was fairly tall, he was tall enough to climb it. It took some time, but CR managed to climb to the top. Instantly, he saw Slenderman, standing on one side of the 'x', ready to grasp CR's legs with his long, black tentacles.

CR pointed the gun at Slenderman as he quickly scanned the inner and outer walls. There was a page on the northern side of the 'x' just waiting for him to angrily rip it from its temporary home. Avoiding the flying tentacles, CR ran and then jumped to his desired location. He grasped the page without reading it, and – just like the others – stuffed it into his (still drying) jacket pocket. Once more, he entered the forest, and became disoriented, but eventually, the static stopped; Slenderman had moved somewhere else. CR circled the area, desperately trying to find the trail, but instead, came across a wired fence that blatantly told him that he must turn around and walk the other way.

CR's hardly wise decision was to travel the perimeter of the fence that led to the eastern side of the forest, which would eventually turn south. He approached the main trail in a diagonal direction, and did it without peering over his shoulder every second. Obviously, the temptation was there, but there was also a dose of self restraint left in him.

CR continued running beside the fence. At last, he had built up the courage to look to his left, and noticed an abnormally large rock in the distance that could potentially contain another page. He was at six now, correct?

Then, the background noise changed. Along with the creaking came a low, constant, eerie tone. Like any noise that was exposed to CR, this unsettled him. He walked faster and hugged his arms as a pitiful attempt to brush the cold off of his shoulders. There was also something scurrying in the distance, sort of shadowing his every movement. To no surprise it was the monster who decided it a good idea to stay on the path; he was always the smart one, wasn't he? –

CR felt himself falling.

A broken section of the wired fence was poking out into exposed air, and had unfortunately ripped through CR's pant leg, which easily punctured his calf. It broke skin, and he was bleeding fast. Immediately, he pulled the lone, twisted wire out of his leg. He shouted. CR saw that the wire was rusted and knew that he was going to be paying for it later, but he would worry about that when the time came; his first priority was Kate, not himself. As soon as CR stood up, he fell down again.

"Shit," he harshly murmured, "I can't run or walk properly anymore."

CR hobbled along the fence. The static and screeching invaded his senses again, and he felt like screaming. He desperately wanted to stop and surrender, but he couldn't; he was raised from the dead for a reason. He needed to think of a plan. He outsmarted Slenderman the last time he was out looking for pages, so maybe he could do it again...but how? He threw his flashlight earlier, hoping that Slender would fall for that stupid trick, but Slenderman quickly exposed him, and that terrible feat was quickly crushed.

He gawked at his hand. He had a revolver now. He could use it, but he prayed to the almighty above that the ammunition in the weapon would release itself from the barrel. Exhausted from limping, CR stopped and faced Slenderman, who stopped with him. Then, the monster approached CR.

Finally, it was time.

Using both of his hands, CR raised the revolver and fired the first round. It worked, and managed to hit its target clean in the chest. Slenderman shrieked, causing a brief wave of pain to shoot through CR's head. He pulled the trigger again, the second round entered Slender's left breast. The third round penetrated its stomach and the fourth round pierced into its right leg and stayed there. Slenderman staggered backwards before falling to his knees. CR then took the opportunity to make a run for it. He knew that the evil entity could heal itself within minutes, so there was no time to waste. CR flew past Slenderman; he was just inches from the monster's body; however, the tentacles did not bother following the human as they were focused on their injured host.

Minutes later, CR reached the large rock. He searched the perimeter, and quickly discovered the page. He did not bother reading this one either; there was no time to look at all of these repetitive messages. Then, not far from his location, CR twisted his head to the right, and found the last landmark. Without any problems, he found the last page, ripped it from the red silo, and shoved it into his jacket pocket with the other wet pages.

After, he stopped to catch his breath. Was something supposed to happen now? Did finding these pages lead to any sort of prize? Or was this all a trap? He waited for a couple of minutes, but nothing interesting occurred. Now, he believed that all hope was lost, the game was over, His efforts were over, and now the person he cared about the most would perish all because of his failures.

Then, CR looked down to take a brief examination of his ankle. –

There was a skeleton sitting in front of him, loosely holding a small backpack.

 _Chapter 11 is next..._


	12. Chapter eleven: The Skeleton

**Hey Everyone! The eight pages are finally finished and we can continue on with the storyline! I really hope everyone is enjoying the story, and thank you to everyone who has reviewed, favorite, followed and read the story. I appreciate all of my readers.**

 **Please review and most importantly, enjoy!**

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Chapter 11: The Skeleton

CR gawked at the skeleton pitifully lying before his feet. Fallen leaves and other assorted plantation had managed to wrap itself around the skeleton's body; long vines also protruded from its eye sockets. Judging by the shape of the human skeleton, he came to the conclusion that it once was a woman; and glancing at the curvature of its spine, it was probably a young one. Despite being dead as a doornail, it was sitting relatively straight. Questions arose in CR's mind. Who was this human? Was she someone who also lay under the curse of the monster? Had she been searching for the eight pages, but came up unsuccessful? Or had she found the eight pages, but was stuck in the same position as he was? Now, now CR, there was no time to ask questions. CR took a quick glance to his left and noticed that the entrance was at least fifty yards from his current position. He had to get out of here, and back to Kate's side with at least something useful in his hands aside from an old gun and unreliable ammunition.

CR then focused his attention onto the backpack that was tucked into the skeleton's arms. The backpack was relatively tiny, pink with a flowery design that was covered by scratches and dirt. Flies, beetles and wasps swarmed the item. They were shooed away before the item was carefully torn from bones. Now in safe hands, the man took a peek inside. After shuffling through the dusty mess, CR discovered a small first aid kit, some unlabelled glass bottles with liquid inside, an old flashlight that worked (Finally!), a t-shirt and some batteries. There was also food and water tucked inside, but the food was rotten and the water had a brown tinge to it. After ditching the food, water and useless pieces of paper that were stuffed into his wet jacket pockets, he wrapped the backpack around his shoulders, and turned towards the entrance.

Then static entered his vision, and the high pitched frequencies overwhelmed his senses. Before he could blink, Slenderman – who was covered in black, hallow holes – appeared and prepared for the kill. CR quickly grasped the revolver from his back pocket and raised it to the level of his eyes, but alas, a lone tentacle knocked the weapon out from his hands. The gun landed far from his reach. The man flinched, preparing himself for a nasty burn, a whack, or the tentacles penetrating through his body...but all was still.

Nothing happened.

" _What the hell?"_ CR thought.

After taking a quick peek, CR was shocked at the sight in front of him. There was Slenderman, frozen in place. The tentacles had slunk backwards, and the monster's blank face was now positioned towards the night sky; and in between he and monster was something dressed in pure white. It bore white hair, skirt, stockings, jacket, and boots that reached its knees. It was the shape of a woman most likely, and it was also still.

Luck was on his side tonight. The woman had pierced Slenderman with a long sword. He now thought himself too lucky as far as he was cornered. He should be dead.

Whoever that strange woman or thing was, she had protected him. Instead of staring at the scene in shock and asking questions, he took this as an opportunity to escape. With his shredded ankle, CR hobbled out of the nightmare, and journeyed back into the forest. He hoped that he wouldn't get lost while finding Kate who may be dead.

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CR found Kate in the same position as when he left her. She was flat onto her stomach, with her cheeks resting on the ground; however, she was motionless. The man slowly approached the girl. Once he was at her side, he felt for a pulse. Relief washed over CR when he found a strong pulse; she was healing. CR took a quick glance at her back, and noticed that the knife wound wasn't as bad as it was earlier in the night. Did Slender give the proxy healing capabilities? He touched the wound, but Kate hissed back and took a swipe in retaliation. She looked more closely and noticed her friend crouching at her side. She said, elated, but groggily:

"CR, it's you. Where did you go? I woke up earlier, and you were gone. I was worried. I thought you had abandoned me."

"Never," CR assured, "I agree that it was unwise to leave you here alone, but nonetheless you are now safe. Believe it or not, I played the game again. There were eight pages and they led me to some helpful items. I found a backpack with a first aid kit and I believe some...medicine...maybe?"

Kate tried to smile. "Well, it won't hurt to try. I've started healing, but let's get myself better before..." she trailed off.

He said in a worried tone, "What's wrong Kate? Are you sick?"

Still in a sprawled position on her stomach, Kate turned her head to the left, and said, "CR, the sun is rising. It's going to be a good day, I think. If we work quickly, we can get a head start and finally make it to the radio tower." She looked back at CR. "CR..."

"Yes?"

"...your head."

"Huh? What are you going on about, Kate? What about my head?"

"When we were escaping last year, a tree had fallen on our car. You hit your head really hard against the steering wheel, and you fell unconscious. As a result, you received head trauma from the force of the impact. You remember what happened then, don't you? Well, enough of my rambling, but I shall say that around the time I had killed you, your head wound had scabbed, and the bleeding stopped; however, when you were practically resurrected from the dead, your bullet wounds were gone, but the head wound was still there, and it was bleeding."

CR raised a brow. Kate was obviously dehydrated. Was she going mad? Hallucinating? "I don't get it...what's your point, Kate?"

"It's been two days, and during that entire time, your wound was bleeding..."

"And?"

"Now...it's not. It's going away."

CR touched the gash with his fingertips. Kate was right. The side of his head was no longer wet with fresh blood. She was also right in the fact that ever since CR was resurrected, the head wound refrained from scabbing; and because of that simple fact, it made CR come to the conclusion that he was a monster, ghost, or anything but human. He wondered if the recent injury on his calf would eventually stop bleeding too. If so, it definitely was an indication that the man in this picture was definitely human, and could die twice!

After fondling the wound, CR unloaded the backpack. He fiddled with the many supplies inside until he found what was needed. There were very little available bandages and alcohol wipes, but the tiny amount that he acquired was enough to do the job.

Suddenly, a new emotion hit CR; hope. Soon, Kate would hunt rabbits and fish in order to solve their hunger, and CR would discover a clean stream of fresh water to quench their thirst. Yes, everything was going to be alright.

 **DAY THREE: 05:00 hours**

 _Chapter 12 is next..._

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 **Please review...**


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